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The Withering World of Amelia Gray
by Amanda Stevens, author of The Prophet (Mira Books), the third book in The Graveyard Queen series
When I was little, cemetery exploration was a favorite pastime. My house was situated between two graveyards and I spent many a Sunday afternoon wandering through the maze of headstones and statuary. One of the cemeteries was abandoned and I wasn’t allowed to visit there alone. Naturally, it became a favorite escape.  Nestled in a deep forest and shrouded by shade, the forgotten graveyard was a place of enchantment, a mysterious necropolis of sunken graves, crumbling headstones and fallen angels. The burials were old—pre-Civil war—and the symbols carved into the headstones intrigued me. I could daydream there for hours.
There’s a term for graveyard fascination—taphophilia. From the Greek words taphos, meaning tomb and philia, meaning love or obsession. A love of tombstones and cemeteries.
When I decided to write a paranormal series, I knew I wanted the protagonist to have an unusual skill or occupation. So I did an Internet search for strange jobs and up popped cemetery restorer—the perfect vocation for a character that would share my passion for graveyards. She would be Southern (also like me) and a loner because her ability to see ghosts had isolated her from human companionship. Her first name would be Amelia because it’s Southern and old-fashioned, and her surname would be Gray to symbolize the twilight world of ghosts.
Amelia became so real to me that I knew I had to create a worthy love interest, someone dark and mysterious and charismatic to lure her from the safety of her graveyard kingdom and tempt her into breaking one of her father’s cardinal rules: never associate with those who are haunted.
Papa’s rules are broken in The Restorer; the past is revealed in The Kingdom; and the future is foreshadowed in The Prophet.  Set against the withering backdrop of abandoned and forgotten cemeteries, The Graveyard Queen series offers peeks into the lush dreamscape of restless souls, deranged killers and doomed lovers.
I’ve just been given the go-ahead for three more books in the series and I would like to invite you along on Amelia’s journey as her graveyard kingdom becomes ever darker and more mysterious.
Visit author Amanda Stevens at her blog or follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Check out the new book trailer for The Graveyard Queen series below!
Clockwork Collar Quote Tour Stop: Meet the “Clockwork Collar” Designer & Giveaway
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
An Intriguing Collection
For some readers romance is nothing without mystery.That’s why Harlequin Intrigue serves up plenty of both every month with six new and exciting crime stories tailored to the series romance market.You can find all variety of thrilling suspense and whodunit mystery in our special brand of breathtaking romantic suspense.
BJ Daniels this October.
You can always expect an edge-of-your-seat read from all of the Harlequin Intrigue books.Stalkers, killers, kidnappers—we have them all.But none of them are any match for the heroes of Harlequin Intrigue.These go-to guys know how to take on any enemy and always get their girl in the end.
But we’d love to hear from you.What are your favorite stories of romantic suspense—whodunits, psychological thrillers, crime drama?Let us know.
A Few Good Mothers
Editor’s Note: This Sunday, May 13 is Mother’s Day,but we’re celebrating all week long! Join us on the Harlequin Blogwhere some of our biggest authors are stopping by to talk about moms,both fictional and the ones that raised us! Today we have Robyn Carr, author of Sunrise Point, the LATEST Virgin River novel (Mira Books).
All devoted mothers have earned a special, spacious, well decorated condo with a view in heaven. But there are a few special mothers who should get castles. Let me tell you about a few of them.
Amy is a Marine Sergeant. She’s committed to her military job, the men and women she serves and leads. It isn’t easy leaving her children behind when she deploys; she needs a very powerful support system because she is also married to a Marine Sergeant. So meet Lydia, Amy’s mother. There was a time, a few months, when Amy and her husband’s deployments overlapped. Lydia was the one to step in and take care of two small children during that overlap. Amy saw her baby daughter take her first steps on video cam. You hardly ever see a Marine Sergeant cry. You would have seen it that day.
Meet Joan, the mother of a soldier. She’s not all that computer savvy, but when her son went to Iraq, she figured out a few things, including Skype. She kept track of the time difference so she could be there for him whenever he had time for her. To hear Joan tell it, she had more deep, philosophical and spiritual conversations with her son while he was in Iraq than ever before in his thirty-five years. To hear her son tell it, his mom helped get him through it.
And here’s Maureen, whose son is a recently returned hero, and a triple amputee. He’s young, determined, strong, but he still has many needs. He not only needs lots of rehab, he will need continuing medical support until he’s fully functional. He isn’t ready to live independently yet and sometimes finding all the avenues to support is difficult and exhausting. But a mother like Maureen is up to the task – that’s her child. She doesn’t even have to think about it. She’ll help the Army get him on his feet…er, you know….
Say hello to Susan. She is a Marine wife and mother of three. Now she’s a caregiver and mother and volunteer for the Wounded Warriors Project. Her husband came home with a hundred percent disability and she is so grateful to have him home, to be able to unite their family again. But there aren’t enough hours in the day for Susan – yet with the support of other wives of disabled warriors, friends and family, somehow she does it. What her growing children see is a woman whose love somehow makes her creative and strong.
That’s just a few – I have a few thousand more. Castles, all. God bless every military woman, wife, daughter and mother. Happy Mother’s Day from a grateful America.
Susan Mallery Loves a Man who Loves His Mom
Editor’s Note: This Sunday, May 13 is Mother’s Day,butwe’re celebrating all week long! Join us on the Harlequin Blogwheresome of our biggest authors are stopping by to talk about moms,bothfictional and the ones that raised us! Today we have Susan Mallery, author of Almost Summer, the NEWEST Fool’s Gold novella (HQN Books).
I often hear from single readers who are still looking for The One. They’re tired of dating losers, and they want to know where they can meet a man like the heroes in my books. I tell them good men are out there, and they’re worth the wait. There’s truth to the adage to watch how a man treats his mother if you want to know how he’ll treat his wife. His respect for women – or lack thereof – will show.
I love a man who loves his mom. I don’t mean a mama’s boy. I mean an independent, grown man who has transitioned from needing her to nurturing her. He considers taking care of his mother his responsibility, especially if his dad’s no longer around, and it’s an obligation he willingly bears on his broad shoulders. After all, she cared for him when he was a child; it’s only right that he should watch out for her now. He will do whatever is in his power to make sure that she’s happy and safe.
In SUMMER DAYS (May 2012), Rafe Stryker storms to Fool’s Gold because he thinks that Heidi Simpson sold the Castle Ranch to his mother and then refused to hand over the deed. His mom was bilked once before in the small California town, and Rafe will do anything to keep that from happening again – even work the land himself while a judge determines the rightful owner. After years of ranch work when he was a kid, to help support his family, Rafe went to business school so that he’d never have to be a cowboy. But if that’s what it takes to protect his mother’s interests, then he’ll saddle that horse gladly.
When you do meet a man like Rafe, hold on tight . . . and thank his mom for raising such a fabulous son!
Harlequin Lovebirds family expands!
Quest and Kendal welcomed another addition to the family yesterday afternoon.So, we now have two of three eggs successfully hatched and are eagerly waiting for the third hatchling to join its siblings.Keep checking in to see the final hatch and feedings.
UPDATE! Quest & Kendal’s third (and final) egg hatched this morning and the new family of five were enjoying a meal together this morning.Judging by last year, we should see some remarkable growth in our hatchlings over the next few weeks and Kendal will be kept busy keeping all those bellies full.A fledge watch will soon begin in earnest and we are sure to have some incredible (and hairy) moments as the hatchlings become mobile.
Harlequin encourages anyone who wishes to learn more about peregrines, pledge support or discover what they can do to help this threatened species to visit the Canadian Peregrine Foundation at www.peregrine-foundation.ca.
Harlequin Blog News RoundUP: May 10, 2012
JOIN the Celebration: VIRTUAL PARTY w/ Author Virna DePaul and Special Guests
Do you have a passion for romance novels & animal rights? Chat with readers, authors, and animal lovers, WIN FREE STUFF and support a terrific cause! Celebrate the release of LOVE BITES, a new anthology of romance novellas by five of Harlequin’s HOTTEST authors. May 10, 2012 @ 6 pm EST
RSVP HERE â–º
The Curious Reader’s Guide to EROTIC Romance…
Of course you’re curious about erotic romance…but perhaps the thought of asking questions has you turning fifty shades of red. Fear not: Harlequin has the perfect primer for newcomers to the naughty stuff. (We are romance experts after all, offering erotic reads that run the gamut from the boudoir to the dungeon!) So read on! You know you want to…
EXPLORER â–º
COMMUNITY TUESDAY: Hats off to Mom!
Our Mother’s Day Infographic offered some FUN and surprising statistics gleaned from our 2011 book catalog!JOIN the discussion in our Café Lounge!
HERE â–º
How do you celebrate Mother’s Day?
HARLEQUIN.COM: Mother’s Day Gift Shop
Does your MOM ♥ books?!! Well we’ve some some great ideas – PLUS some YUMMY recipes & FUN stats too! Find the perfect gift!
HERE â–º
CARINA PRESS: Did you know EVERY DAY one book from Carina Press
will be offered for 99 cents?!!! Preorder Callie Croix’s erotic romance, LET ME IN for 99 cents!
HERE â–º
Harlequin EXCLUSIVE Video Premier:
SONS OF CHANCE Trilogy by Vicki Lewis Thompson (book trailer)
The Last Chance Ranch in Jackson Hole has three sexy new residents!
Welcome to the Sons of Chance series, where the men are hot and the women are happy! Travel with Vicki Lewis Thompson down a winding dirt road to the Last Chance Ranch, dedicated to the proposition that we all need a last chance to find whatever we deserve, especially love (and great sex). WATCH IT HERE â–º
Goddess Interrupted Blog Tour and Summer Goddess Giveaway!
by Lisa Wray and Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Books
Penny Jordan’s Penultimate Book – The Price of Royal Duty
Penny Jordan is one of Harlequin Mills & Boon’s most popular authors. Sadly Penny died from cancer on 31st December 2011, aged 65. She leaves an outstanding legacy, having sold over 100 million books around the world.
Penny Jordan has become synonymous with Harlequin Presents – much loved for her gorgeous alpha male heroes, heroines with vulnerabilities like our own and most of all that very distinctive writing style: dramatic, intense, emotionally powerful – and infused with passion!
This month Penny launches the new Presents continuity The Santina Crown with